Our regulatory work

Following the passage of the 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040 standard in the 2023 Minnesota Legislature, the Public Utilities Commission opened docket, 23-151, to define the term “carbon-free” under the law and to provide guidance to utilities in implementing the carbon-free standard.

At the PUC, CEEM is actively engaged with the proceedings of docket 23-151, submitting requests to include certain woody biomass resources in the carbon-free definition and to seek clarifications on accounting methods for GHG emissions reductions. CEEM will continue to monitor and participate in the 23-151 docket to ensure Minnesota successfully transitions to a carbon-free economy with resilient, reliable, and affordable energy.

Modernization of transmission infrastructure and advancing initiatives at both the MISO and state levels is crucial to accelerating grid development and enhancing capacity. Addressing transmission challenges will be key to unlocking the full potential of the clean energy economy and alleviating congestion on the “electricity freeway”. CEEM is committed to supporting the expansion of transmission infrastructure to boost capacity statewide and regionally, ensuring greater reliability and resiliency. CEEM actively engages in stakeholder coalitions and submits comments to the PUC on transmission projects and initiatives to drive ongoing improvements in transmission infrastructure, development, and capacity.

Interconnection delays and costs have emerged as one of the most significant barriers to integrating more distributed energy resources into the grid. Negative headlines reporting on the challenges with interconnection have sparked frustration among developers, customers, and even utilities.

At the PUC, CEEM works to raise awareness of business impacts caused by extended interconnection queues. CEEM is committed to ensuring and supporting the implementation of standardized interconnection processes. The organization strives to influence interconnection solutions and policies through a balanced approach that takes into account the needs of both developers and ratepayers.

Grid upgrades are essential to ensuring the modern power grid can meet the demands of a rapidly evolving energy landscape. As more renewable energy resources are integrated and sectors, like transportation, become increasingly electrified, the grid must evolve to accommodate greater capacity, improve reliability, and reduce congestion. CEEM works to encourage innovative solutions that streamline the process of connecting projects to the grid, making it faster and more efficient while preventing delays and aligning incentives for grid operators. Improvements will not only support the transition to clean energy but also ensure the grid remains efficient and future-ready in delivering affordable electricity to all customers.